Protecting RDP from bruteforce attacks with IPBan: instructions for beginners

Remote computer management is an integral part of IT professionals' work. However, it is associated with a number of threats, including remote desktop bruteforce (RDP) attacks. In this article you will learn how to protect your RDP connection with IPBan.

How does a bruteforce attack work?

Bruteforce is a method of password mining in which an attacker searches through combinations of characters until he or she finds the right one. If the attack is successful, the attacker can gain access to your computer, jeopardizing all data.

What is IPBan?

IPBan is free and open source software designed to protect against bruteforce attacks on RDP, FTP, SQL and other services. It monitors failed login attempts and automatically blocks attacker IP addresses.

How do I install IPBan?

1. Download the program from the official website. 
2. Unzip the archive to a convenient location.
   
3. Run the IPBan.exe file with administrator rights (right click - "Run as administrator").
   

Configuring IPBan

1. Open the IPBan.config file located in the program folder with a text editor.
   
2. Configure the basic parameters:
   banTime: time to block an IP address after several failed attempts (e.g., "1.00:00:00:00" for a 1-day block).
   failedLoginAttemptsBeforeBan: number of failed attempts after which the IP address will be blocked.
   whitelist: A list of IP addresses that are not to be blocked (for example, your home or office IPs).
3. Save your changes and close the file.

Starting and checking IPBan operation

1. Run IPBan.exe with administrator rights. The program will start running in the background.
   
2. To verify the work:
   Open Event Viewer - "Windows Logs" - "Security". This will display records of blocked IP addresses.
    
   Use the services.msc command to verify that the IPBan service is active.
    

Additional security measures

In addition to using IPBan, we recommend:

• Set complex passwords.
• Restrict RDP access to trusted IP addresses.
• Regularly update your operating system and antivirus software.

IPBan is a simple and effective solution to protect against bruteforce attacks. By following these steps, you can improve RDP security even without deep technical knowledge. Don't forget to use a comprehensive approach to protect your data!